How to motorize your Wavewalk® kayak on a budget?

What are the practices we recommend to follow in kayak motorizing?

This section of our website is dedicated to answering these questions, and others. Please don’t hesitate to call or email us if you have more questions.

NEW: A playlist (selection) of videos showing various motorized Wavewalks:

What about a car-top boat that paddles very well?

And what if you actually need a trailer-free, ultra-lightweight, two-person fishing boat that’s easier to paddle than a kayak? Check out our 700 Series »

We classify the new, patented Wavewalk® 700 series as a two-person, car-top fishing boat (microskiff) because it offers enough room and load capacity for two anglers, and stability that’s on par with the stability offered by good size Jon boats and dinghies.
Common SOT and Sit-in fishing kayaks, including the biggest and widest ones, are prevented from providing such stability because of their monohull design, which is the primary reason why they cannot be driven with powerful outboard gas motors.
However, Wavewalk’s car-top boats from the 700 series are just 31″ wide, and they are much easier to paddle and more comfortable than SOT and Sit-In fishing kayaks are. Learn more »

And maybe you need a portable skiff that works well in a kayaking or canoeing mode? If you need to take two big and heavy anglers on board, plus a lot of fishing, hunting and camping gear, and a powerful motor, you may want to check the new Wavewalk® Series 4 »

The 500 Wavewalk® Kayak Series

Kayaks from the 500 are smaller than car-top boats from the 700 series. They can be outfitted with smaller, less powerful outboard gas motors, and carry less load.
Here is an example of a Wavewalk® 500 model outfitted with a 2HP outboard gas engine and a pair of inflatable side flotation modules, driven in choppy water at Horseneck Beach, Massachusetts –
This video demonstrates the high-capacity inflatable tube flotation, detachable spray shield and motor mount that turn this W500 fishing kayak into a small, high performance, motorized fishing kayak:

Why Motorize Your Kayak?

A motor adds to your kayak’s speed and range of operation. In certain situations, this can make the difference between being able to come back home, and staying out on the water, or beaching far from where you had launched from. That is to say that a motor can add an element of safety to your kayak fishing or touring experience.
Another consideration is that a motor can make life easier, if you don’t feel like paddling, or in case you’re not capable of paddling where you want to go.
If you’re fishing from a kayak, a motor can be useful for trolling, and for quickly skipping from one fishing spot to another.

Electric Trolling Motor or Outboard Gas Engine?

If you don’t own a Wavewalk® kayak, you may as well skip this section, since other kayaks are not suitable for outboard gas engines, and they can accommodate only weaker, electric motor systems that are commonly know as trolling motors, because they typically involve going at low speed, and generally on flat water.
However, if you own a W500 kayak and you’re looking to motorize it, you’re facing the problem of choosing between an electric power system, and an outboard gas engine.
Before going further, we’d like to clarify a number of things about outboard gas engines:
First of all, we don’t recommend using an outboard motor that’s rated above 2.5hp with a Wavewalk kayak from the 500 series, simply because there’s no need for more, in our opinion, and we think that a stronger motor might overpower the kayak, which is hazardous.
Second, when we refer to outboard gas engines, we mean 4-Cycle (4 stroke) motors that are cleaner, quieter, and easier to operate than the old, 2 stroke motors that require mixing oil in the fuel.
Third, we recommend using an outboard gas engine with a 20″ (long) shaft, and not a 15″ (short) shaft.

What are the drawbacks of outboard gas engines?

The most obvious is that they are noisy, while electric motors are quiet.
As far as fumes and ease of operation, the new 4-cycle motors are as clean and easy to operate as electric motors are: No fumes, no need to mix oil in the fuel, and starting them is easy.
Weight: The 2hp 4-cycle Honda outboard gas engine weighs 28lbs. It’s heavier than some small or expensive electric motor systems, but considerably lighter than others that can weigh up to 80lbs. In any case, at this weight you can lift the propeller out of the water and paddle your W500 without feeling much of a difference in performance. You can drag the kayak on the beach, and you can even car top it.
Price wise, a new 4-cycle outboard gas engine can cost between $500 and $1,500, while an electric trolling motor system can cost between $250 and $1,500.
Maintenance: Outboard gas engines require some maintenance while electric motor systems are almost maintenance free, but the new, 4-cycle motors are much easier to maintain than the old 2-cycle ones, so this is not necessarily a big disadvantage.
Some areas are restricted to motorboats, but not to ones that are powered by electric motors.

What are the drawbacks of electric trolling motors?

There’s a much broader choice of electric trolling motor systems on the market today, which means there are numerous advantages and disadvantages to consider.
The most common disadvantage in electric trolling motors is their limited range and speed, and the two are closely linked to each other. Gas motors offer unlimited mileage at high speed, since you can take plenty of extra fuel on board in a can. This is not the case with electric systems that depend on batteries that are either very heavy (too heavy to carry more than one on board at a time), or very expensive. Going at full speed with an electric trolling motor, even a weak one (30-40 lbs thrust) can drain your battery pretty quickly, even if it’s an expensive high-tech battery. This leaves you with a choice of a weaker electric motor, and consequently reduced speed.
When evaluating the potential of an electric trolling motor, you need to remember that going at full power instead of half power would never double your speed (in fact, in some cases the effect of adding power may be hard to notice…) but it would surely drain your battery at half time. You also need to bear in mind that both water and weather conditions often require using more than a fraction of your electric motor systems’ capacity, because the real world is not an ideal one. Knowing this, you need to view electric trolling motors data as representing perfect world situations that have partial, or little relevance to real-life situations in which you could, and eventually would find yourself on the water.
Weight: A standard, deep cycle marine battery can weigh between 40-60lbs. That’s a lot for a small, car top boat such as the W500 kayak. On top of this, the motor itself adds weight, so the entire electric trolling motor system can weigh more than the kayak itself, which is counter productive and problematic. For example: If your heavy, deep cycle marine battery runs out of juice far from your starting point, you’d need to paddle your kayak back with an additional heavy load on board – It’s a point worth consideration, especially if you imagine going against a tidal current, and/or strong wind, while being tired after a long kayak fishing or touring trip.
Price: A battery, cheap electric motor and charger can be yours for less than $250. This is a good deal, but you’ll pay the price in high weight and low speed. At the other end of the spectrum, a computerized electric trolling motor system with integrated GPS would cost you over $1,500, and although it will be lighter than an outboard gas engine, it would still offer less speed and a smaller range of travel.
Maintenance: While electric motors are practically maintenance free, their batteries need recharging, which takes both time and a power outlet that might not always be available to you.

Thrust, Horsepower (HP) and Kilowatts (KW)

People outfit their W500 kayaks with electric trolling motors ranging between 25-70 lbs thrust, with the typical range being 30-50 lbs thrust.

As for outboard gas motors, the range for W500 kayaks goes from 2 HP to 3 HP, with the typical unit being a long shaft 2.3 HP motor, and up to 6 HP for the W700 in the special RIB configuration.

We recommend not to overpower your W kayak, as doing so may be hazardous.

Kilowatts and Horsepower

1 KW = 1.34 HP

1 HP = 0.745 KW

This basic information could be useful when you read electric motor specs…

Conclusion? -Between outboard gas engines and electric trolling motors there is no winner or loser, and it’s up to you to systematically weigh the pros and cons, relatively to your touring, camping and fishing needs, as well as your carrying capabilities, and last but not least – your budget.

Tip I: If you’re thinking long trips, camping, moving water and tandem – think outboard gas engine. If you’re thinking short trips, flat water and lighter loads, think electric trolling motor. Needless to say that more power equals more fun, but too much speed could be hazardous.

Tip II: Whether you choose to outfit your kayak with an electric motor or a gas outboard engine, if you’re planning to take your W kayak in saltwater, make sure the motor is rated for saltwater.

Motor Kayak Recovery

Whether you motorize your kayak with an outboard gas engine or an electric trolling motor, you’d need to take into consideration the extra weight, and consequently add flotation to your kayak, so that you may be able to recover it case of an accident. Read more about flotation »

How To Motorize Your W500 Kayak On A budget?

The number of options and price range of small outboard gas engines is limited, which makes it easier to decide. The choice of motors for the W700 series is much broader.

As for electric trolling motors, you can find inexpensive ones online and in stores, and the same is true for batteries and chargers, although buying a battery online doesn’t make much sense due to the high cost of shipping – unless the battery is shipped free, for store pickup.

Side Mount or Transom Mount?

It’s possible to mount a small, lightweight gas outboard on the side of the W500, as demonstrated here » But due to their weight and power, we recommend mounting such motors at the back of the W500 kayak cockpit, using a transom mount. In this position, steering is made easy by the use of a long, articulated (U-jointed) tiller extension.

As for electric trolling motors, being lighter, they can be mounted either at the back of the cockpit (transom mount), or on its side.

Some of the more expensive electric motor systems come with a kayak mount, but we recommend you double-check if the mount is compatible with the W500 kayak – Chances are that it is not.

Short Propeller Shaft or Long Shaft?

20″ Long (L) propeller shaft outboard motors fit both the W500 and W700 series perfectly, and these are the motors that we recommend using.
As for short (typically 15″) shaft motors, they don’t perform well with Wavewalk® kayaks and boats, and we do not recommend using them. This is true both for electric and gas motors.

Important SAFETY ADVICE

For users of Wavewalk’s motor mounts from all models: Before going on a motorized trip, verify that the wide wooden bolt knobs that secure the Wavewalk® motor mount to the kayak are safely tightened to the maximum. Failing to tighten the bolt knobs could result in unwanted vibrations and noise. If you feel such unusual vibrations and/or hear unusual noise, stop the motor, turn around, and tighten the bolt knobs to the max.
Driving with loose bolt knobs is hazardous, similarly to driving with the motor’s clamp screws loose, and it could result in an accident.

Adding a pair of 5/16″ nuts would lock the knobs in place, and prevent them from getting loose.

Never operate the motor without the motor’s stop switch (“kill-switch”) attached to your arm.
For motor operation and maintenance please refer to your motor’s owner’s manual.

45 Comments

Roxanne Davis10/23/2011 at --

Great read, with many valid points.
It was only a matter of time before the gas powered outboards come into play when the W500 design was finished.
Though my electric trolling motor set up is quiet, the weight I add to the W300, 2 batteries, smaller wheel chair size and a shortened trolling motor with the head torn down for lighter weight, comes close to if not over 50lbs.

The gas powered outboard, 30lbs and under. Though I’ve yet to get out with the gas powered 2 stroke’s I’ve purchased, that will all change soon.

I am starting with a 1980 1.2 hp gamefisher, which only weighs 9lbs.
With this light weight, I’m not going to need any extra floatation.

My main reason for the gas power is weight, and not having to worry about running the batteries down and having to paddle with all that extra weight. I’ve only had to do this once, after a loose connection on the battery melted a wire requiring a long paddle back to the ramp.

The gas powered motor is mainly to get to those long paddles from the launch to the start of my fishing destinations. Which would take me 2.5 hours to reach if I paddled the 234 acres, that’s some very
valuable fishing time lost.

Time will tell what’s in store for the W500, a new and exciting adventure awaits around every corner.

Thanks Rox,
1.2hp sounds good enough for the W500 with one person on board.
We don’t recommend putting any motor that’s over 2hp on this kayak, because of the risk involved in overpowering it.
Yoav

Jeff McGovern10/23/2011 at --

OK my friend it is time for you to paint some flames on the sides of the W500. I’ll have to start calling you “Hot Rod Yaker”. What you have created not only looks good, it appears to be the ideal pocket size flats boat, creek boat and river cruiser. Nice job sir another winner for Wavewalk’s secret design center hidden away somewhere in New England.

Thanks Jeff,
Indeed, the noise and feeling of riding that thing are reminding of motor biking.
The excitement and speed are definitely there (well, speed only in kayaking terms, of course…)
This thing is fun beyond belief 😀
Yoav

Pitty,
We don’t offer financing, but a W500 with a motor would cost you a fraction of the price of a motorboat.
In addition, you won’t need to purchase a trailer, or even a special kayak rack, since the W500 is guaranteed to fit any car rack.
Yoav

Larry02/12/2012 at --

Have you considered a wider, deeper tri-hull for fishing? I live a couple of miles from the Pacific Ocean, disabled war veteran looking for more comfort, electric motor, seating for the wife of companion dog, for inshore fishing in the San Diego area.

Walk with cane, seating with back rest needed and quiet electric motor. Since my wife is going only to make me happy, I think a tri-hull may be in our (my) best interest. Other considerations are a live bail well, splash curtains, fish finders, and a place to store the spear gun for spearfishing.
Need a wider boat for the wife or dog. Please advise.

I agree with some of the listed advantages of a gas motor over an electric motor. However, a couple of off sets should be considered. In many places only electric motors are allowed with no type of internal combustion motor allowed at all. Plus, no matter how quite a gas motor is it is still much louder than an electric. In fact an electric is actually quiter than paddling. I have used motors on many types of paddle craft and there is almost a way to properly trim a boat for the weight of the motor and battery. But, as suggested, if currents or range are factors go with the gas motor.

juan08/11/2012 at --

hello, I´m very interested about super kayak wavewalk, can I find it in Spain? attentively thanks

The main difference is that unlike these bigger boats, a motorized W kayak is a personal craft.
This means it’s designed to take one passenger on board, and another, lightweight one under some restrictions.
Another major difference is that a motorized W kayak can be easily car topped, and you don’t need a trailer for it, ever.
A third important difference is that you can launch and beach a motorized W kayak pretty much anywhere, and paddle it in no-motor zones.

This article addresses kayak anglers who are interested in motorizing their kayaks.
But what about motor boaters who are interested in downsizing to a smaller ride, maybe a personal micro skiff?
This new website microskiff.us presents a way for them to downsize and upgrade at the same time.
In other words, it shows how a motorized W kayak can offer you more than your traditional small skiff (microskiff) does, and the only things you’d have to give up are load capacity and number of passengers on board, and very high speed – in case that’s what you’re used to.
When all other things are concerned (cartop, mobility, launching & beaching etc.) – it’s clearly an upgrade, as this 5 minute demo video shows:

Those who are fishing or hunting in very shallow water with seaweed, grass, rocks and obstacles, may be interested in looking at a motor from Scavenger Backwater Motors, who have done 3hp motors by custom order. Their SB3H motor uses GX100 Honda engine, and it weighs about 60lbs.

Their prices are reasonable.

sirpawpaw05/28/2013 at --

I have been reading about a couple of 2hp 4stroke engines that ya’ll might be interested in. They are sold by florida outboards and engines and Island Hopper. They weigh only 20lbs according to thier sites. They also have a 2.5 4stroke and several small 2strokes. You can learn more about them on their webb sites. 28 pounds sounds a little heavy to me if much paddling is involved. Either way fellas if your far out it would be best not to run out of gas. Love my w!
Sir Pawpaw

Last year, a couple of W kayakers on the West Coast tested the 2hp 4-stroke (4 cycle) outboard from Island Hopper, and unfortunately, it turned out that it was problematic. We contacted the company and asked them for help and explanations, and what they said was that if this motor tilts in an angle of more than 20 degrees, oil would get in the carburetor and make the motor choke and sputter.
Too bad, because the price of this outboard is very attractive.

No problems with their 2-cycle motors, as far as we know, but we maintain that 4 cycle outboards are more user friendly.

I have a 2HP Honda 4-stroke. It weighs 27 pounds and the gas tank is in the motor head. It holds 1 quart of gas so that adds 1 pound. It makes no detectable difference in the ease of paddling. Sometimes I don’t even tilt it back up if I’m just moseying along with the paddle while I fish.

Honda says it will go 1 hour at full throttle on 1 tank. Since the W500 makes better than 8mph this is quite a distance. Of course if you go at half throttle you will experience much greater efficiency and hence, greater distance. Just to be safe I carry a 1 gallon gas tank which means I could cover more than 5o miles. That should do the trick!

Honda’s current offering is for a new model at 2.3 HP and the weight has gone up to 31 pounds. I’m sure any W500 owner who wants a motor will find it is more than satisfactory.

-Michael

sirpawpaw05/28/2013 at --

Thanks for the info Fish and Michael. The Honda most likely is the way to go. I was wondering if you had any info on florida outboard motor and engines 2hp 4stroke. Also I take it for granted that the Honda is air cooled, if not how bout letting me know. I am, as my handle indicates getting a little older and may decide to go to a small 4stroke. I live on the Texas coast near Houston and like to flounder as well as fish and a motor would come in handy for covering more floundering ground. Also, is there any smaller 4stroke then a 2hp that you fellas may know about on the market?
Yoav I have to agree with Jeff, the w is the best yak on the planet. Yaking, sailing, to motor boat. It just depends on what you wanta do. Well talk to you latter.
sirpawpaw

Florida Outboard and Island Hopper are the same thing.
The 2hp and 2.3hp Honda outboards are air cooled, which makes them lighter, and easier to maintain when used in saltwater.
I don’t know of new smaller outboards out there, but you may come across a used one, such as Rox’ 1.3 hp 2-stroke Gamerfisher.

You may also want to consider support and repairs when selecting a motor, in addition to the initial warranty. Custom implementations may limit your options should problems arise.

-Michael

sirpawpaw05/29/2013 at --

Thanks for the feed back. I thought there might be a connection between the two companies because their info on their web sites were so similar as well as the motor pictures.
By the way I called a dealer and talked to him about the Honda 2.3hp 4stroke and he told me it weighed 37 lbs. I was thinking I had looked it up on line and it had said the 2hp was 28lbs. Thats a heck of a difference. I know a w will take a lot of weight but I figure every lb makes a difference, course I am use to paddleing every where I go so I like to keep it as light as I can. 37lbs is even heavier then Michael told me it was. Maybe I should look for a used 2hp instead of buying a new 2.3, or do you fella’s think I am stressing to much over the extra weight. O’well I’ll stop whining now. You fellas are great for getting info from as well as whining to. Till next time.
sirpawpaw.

BTW, their 2.3 hp is nearly identical to the 2 hp – even the volume of the combustion chamber is the same.

I use a 2 hp Honda, and frankly, I have nothing bad to say about it. It’s a pleasure to own and operate.

Yoav

sirpawpaw05/29/2013 at --

Yoav, I was just about to blog you back when I read your reply. I had called the dealer back and he had told me the weight on a 2.5hp. He still messed up however because he then told me the 2hp was 26lbs which I was pretty sure was wrong because of what I had read and what you fellas had told me. 29-31lbs is good enough. The cost quoted with tax and title included would be about $1100. I may should go ahead and buy one before the weight goes up some more, lol. I really appreciate ya’ll and the time you, as well as others, spend giving out the useful info that your blog provides. Let us know when you get another Houston area Distributor and may your redfish always be large.
sirpawpaw

The cost sounds about right – congratulations!
Make sure to get large-size foam noodles (see Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) for floatation. You’re going to need it because of the extra weight added to your kayak.
Yoav

sirpawpaw05/29/2013 at --

Yoav I looked here and there on your site for your accessories like your foam floation order forms and as well as other goodies you might have but only found info for buying them with the wboat. Where do you have them listed separately?
sir pawpaw

David,
The accessories’ prices are listed on this page: http://www.wavewalk.com/Ordering_Info.html
You can order accessories (except paddles) separately.
Shipping accessories is quoted separately, depending on what we’re required to send.
If it’s just for foam noodles, you’d better try Wal-Mart first 🙂

Since I use a motor my W500 needs extra floatation. My solution was to mount 4 regular “pool noodles” under the saddle. This provides the needed extra buoyancy, they are out of my way when I’m paddling and leaves a wider gap between the noodles and the water so they never touch the water. Also, you don’t see them unless you look under the kayak.

$1,100 is about the going rate but make sure that, for that price, the dealer installs the crankcase oil and test runs the motor for you. My dealer didn’t and I had to have it serviced the first season.

sirpawpaw05/29/2013 at --

Ok thanks . I was just wanting to browse.
I was thinking of using plastic ski floation devises under the saddle on the transom end. It should be about the right width and length to attach to the bungee behind the existing floatation and prop up the extra weight of the motor. If that does not work I can put one on each side of the w in the rear by the motor. I have got my transom figured out. I am gonna bolt a 2×4 between 2 pieces of stainles angle “iron” which will be bolted to a plate which is wide enough to help stop fatigue to the hull, Of course i will also have shims under the hull. Should work ok, at least it sounds to me like it will. I may wind up using a 2×6 to make the transom a little higher, although lower is stronger. Anyway making it work is most of the fun in any project. Well I have taken enough of your time. Keep on thinking, you seem to be good at it.
sirpawpaw

sirpawpaw05/29/2013 at --

Thanks for the advise Michael, I must have missed your post before my last reply for some reason. I am glad you suggested the extra noodles under the saddle but the oil and running it even more so. As I remember it back in the day that was a given that if we went to a dealer and bought it new it would be serviced and ready to go. I am glad you brought that to my attention. Thanks again.
Sirpawpaw

Thanks for the kind words. Here is a photo of my W500 from below where you can see how the noodles are mounted flush with the saddle’s “ceiling”.

-Michael

sirpawpaw05/30/2013 at --

Wow, Michael that looks great. Do you have much of a drop in the water at the transom when the motor is attached, and what about when its running. Can you go wide open with no problems, or do you have to moderate your speeds?

The noodles have zero effect on freeboard or propulsion as they never touch the water; they are only for rescuing the boat should it somehow fill with water. You can’t even see them unless you go snooping under the hull. That is to say, they are undetectable when car-topping, paddling or motoring. Altogether (4 noodles and cords) they probably don’t weigh 1 pound.
-Michael

sirpawpaw05/31/2013 at --

Michael besides the extra noodles I am toying with the idea of putting something like plastic hull fenders made to go on the sides of a boat to protect it from rubbing against docks under the saddle on the transom end of the W. This should give extra bouancy to the motor end [Attwood makes some for examples]. Plastic ski rope floats may work as well. They might even work bungeed on the rear pontoons like little out riggers if I could get them fastioned ridged enough. That should get rid of some of the low drop of the motor end of the W I am seeing on the video’s When the motor is running. I might even just put some in each pontoon on the transom end just to see if they would work that way, that is if they would fit which I doubt. I do not believe I would want to leave them in because I love all the storage space in my W. Seems to me it might be fun toying with to see what I can come up with.
sirpawpaw

I’m not sure I understand your concern and/or plan. The floatation only comes into play if you find a way to sink your W500, else it never touches the water. If you attach objects with a large surface area to your kayak you will increase wind resistance which you do not want.

The question of keeping the kayak level with or without a motor attached is a bnon-issue. You simply move yourself to the “balance point” along the Wavewalk’s 6-foot saddle such that the boat is at whatever plane you desire.

Other kayak manufacturers are constantly focusing on their “new”, “super comfortable”, “adjustable”, seats. Obviously, this is there way of telling you how uncomfortable their boats really are! What they don’t tell you is that the seat (which still keeps you in that famous back-breaking, leg-numbing L posture) cannot be moved fore or aft! This means you have to load your boat perfectly for balance before you get in! The Wavewalk eliminates all these issues by design.

The more time I’ve spent “improving” my W500 the more I tend to leave it alone! If you have more questions feel free to give me a call.

The more time I’ve spent “improving” my W500 the more I tend to leave it alone!

Michael, this is poetry 🙂

Yoav

sirpawpaw06/04/2013 at --

Well Michael I am not sure bumber floats will work but if they do they will lessen the drop effect the motor has on the transom end while the motor is running. This may mean less water splash over transom as well as being able to run in a little shallower water. It would have the same effect as sconches {kind of a rear floatation pod beside each side of the motor on the back of a bay boat to provide more lift}. It should be very little trouble to try and if it does not work I can take them off very easily.
I don’t keep much additions on my W other then a anchor trolley and a portable back brace for leaning against while paddleing and fishing. I can take it in and out at will. It fits in my pontoon hull while not in use and is cushioned, but it only fits on the rear of my bench by the splash guard when I am using it.
I have put this and that on my w but normally take it back off because like you I like to keep it light and simple, however a motor may change all of that. We will see.
I was a inside machinist and industrial mechanic for around 34-35 years and have got to tinker, its in the blood. I even had a fiber glass swivel chair I mounted in my w boat that would lift in and out at will, it was not bolted down on the w. However, It restricted my movement on my saddle bench to much so I don’t use it. It worked really well, though I liked it better with out the swivel when I tried it with only the chair ,but it still restricted my freedom of movement.
I Bought a couple of extra noodles though and whether I add a motor or not I plan to add them to the w like you and Yoav suggested. Thanks again to both of you for your info and suggestions. Well until that day lets keep fishing!
sirpawpaw

Our W kayaks work with outboard featuring a short (15″) propeller shaft, but we recommend motors with a 20″ (long) shaft for more convenience in steering and accessing the controls. Honda’s 2.3 HP outboard has a 20″ shaft model.

After playing with kayak for 5 years in various body of water (rivers, shallow rivers, lakes, swamps, big lakes: Ontario) I did reach these conclusion
IMHO – for fishing the best motorization is the electric motor at 24V with Digital Maximizer
Advantages:
1) Silent
2) No smoker
3) Low maintenance
4) The Wavewalk is stable but once you deploy the electric motor down is becoming rock solid stable.
I am having fun on the big lake when I see big boats with V profile having sway (rocking side to side like hell) and my kayak with the trolling motor deployed is stable like a rock (no sway).
5) After trying over 5 trolling motors I did finally settle for 24V with 70Lb thrust. If I have the chance I will go for 100Lb.
There are some important advantages of 24V in Wavewalk.
a) You need two batteries that will have the weight nice distributed in the twin hull for balance in front.
b) 24V is more efficient than 12V (draws less Amps) therefore you don’t need heavy batteries. Two batteries of 22Ah (6kg each) are sufficient for over 24h or continuous trolling at 3km/h or 1.5mph
c) 24V does not need thick wires as 12V (less Amps draw)
d) 24V motor has a heavier coil than 12V (12V has 11Kg, 24V has 15Kg). The center of gravity moves low, than means more stability. Gas motor raise the center of gravity, not ideal.

The only drawback for electric is that it does not have the power of the gas.
But with 24V I can cruise for more than 24 hours on penny in comparison with gas cost.
Plus the torque is instant. And for trolling with 1.5-2mph there is plenty of thrust. You just need to dial around 15-20% of the throttle.
At full throttle the speed is 8Km/h.

I did preferred a simple mount for the motor, I just use a 2×4 regular wood from Home Depot.
There are many time when I don’t need the motor on the kayak, therefore simplicity is the best.

Last performance of my motorized kayak was on 29 August trolling around 15 boats on Lake Ontario 3 km offshore at night chasing salmon.
Imagine how much gas those guzzler burn and in top of that with a slick W500 I can dance around those boats that steer like snails.
Actually after 10PM there were no boats around just me and another few kayakers in [fins and push-pedal driven kayaks] that were tired of pedaling and were close to shore.
A [fins and push-pedal driven] kayaker can’t match the advantages of a W500 electric motorized, pedaling for hours is not easy.
The best sprint on water is electric (instant torque at fingers tips).
I own two W500 looking to get one W700 to have more fun with the kids.
Have fun, tight lines.

70 lbs thrust is very powerful for an electric motor for such a small craft as a the W500. I’m sure you can go fast with it!
Using two smaller-size batteries instead of a single large size one is also what we recommend, since you can place each smaller battery at the bottom of each hull, and thus have them act as ballast, I.E. improve the kayak’s stability, while a big and heavy battery placed in a higher location would be counterproductive in stability terms.
The W700 hulls are wider, so you’d be able to use bigger batteries in the same way.

Yoav

Pyt Rotary09/01/2015 at --

The feeling of the 24V throttle is like driving a motorcycle.
For sharp turns I have to lean over.
You don’t need bigger batteries at 24V. The draw at 25% throttle is 500mA that is more than 40 hours of trolling non stop for a 20Ah batteries (6kg) for 3km/h in none or low wind.
I repeat there is no need for heavy batteries as long you don’t battle heavy winds (>20km/h) and you just want to fish/trolling. I have two set of batteries.
One set of 22Ah(6kg each) and one set of 35AH(12kg each). Definitely W700 with less draft and bigger batteries will be able to battle even stronger winds or cover long distances. But for regular fishing trips where the trip is less than 20km 24V with small batteries is just fine.